The cliché "Don't find your honey where you get your money" doesn't seem to apply at Cincinnati Ballet. The romantic spectacle of the Ballet's glowing
Sleeping Beauty production takes on added meaning when one learns that of the 28 dancers in the company 16 are in couples together, supporting the concept of life imitating art. The five couples I interviewed, two of which are highlighted here, gave me the lowdown on what it's like to partner together -- onstage and off.
Principal dancers Kristi Capps, who's from Charlotte, N.C., and Dmitri "Dima" Trubchanov of St. Petersburg, Russia, have been involved for six years and recently bought a house together. They dance the lead roles in Sleeping Beauty -- talk about consummate casting!
CityBeat: What's it like partnering with your real-life partner?
Dmitri Trubchanov: Performance part is the best because, especially if it's a love story, you can relate, you don't need to act. Ballet is acting just like movies. But when you get someone you actually love, it becomes natural. The rehearsal process can be fun, but you expect a little bit more from someone you love, someone you know, than from someone else (in the company). ... But performing-wise, that's probably the best that can ever be. And people can see that, I think.
Kristi Capps: Yeah, that's the thing. People say they can really notice it. I wouldn't necessarily think that you would notice it, but people say they do.
Trubchanov: You have the relationship onstage.
Capps: I think you make eye contact more; you look at each other more. Obviously there's going to be a twinkle in your eye that's not necessarily there (otherwise).
CB: Do you think having a partner who understands the demands of this career adds or removes any pressure?
Capps: I think there are pros and cons in both. I think definitely you understand each other so much more. The only thing is we don't get to come home and say, "How was your day, hon?" We already know (laughs). That's the biggest thing.
Trubchanov: We have already been with you in the same room.
Capps: I'm a little bit afraid of what's it's gonna be when we're not working together. When I'm not here, he's not here, when one of us retires, it's gonna be completely different, because that's what we know, is us working together. ... We're pretty good about not bringing work home.
Trubchanov: We can talk about work at home, that's normal, but if we had a bad day at work you come to the door of the house and (he brushes his hands together). Or just deal with that before you leave work.
Capps: I think that's what's kept us being able to work together.
CB: Do romantic ideals portrayed in ballet relate to your real life?
Capps: I think it might have been the last time we did Sleeping Beauty (together). (Ballet Mistress Johanna Bernstein) turned to me and said, "I think you've finally found your Prince Charming". And I remember thinking, "Yeah, I have." For me, he is my Prince Charming, I mean, no matter what.
A couple for four years, Cubans Cervilio Amador, principal dancer, and new dancer Gema Diaz, defected together in 2004. They spent time in Miami before joining Cincinnati Ballet and live together now.
CB: What's it like partnering with your real-life partner?
Cervilio Amador: Fight. Actually we don't get to dance a lot together here in the company because I'm shorter than her so it's not right, but we do sometimes get to work together. I think because you feel so comfortable with your person you don't get protocol to say something to her. You just say it. And that makes people feel bad.
Gema Diaz: He made me cry! We were going to Chicago for a guesting (appearance). I don't even remember what he said. ... But, yeah, it's fun to dance with someone that you know and love.
CB: Do you think having a partner who understands the demands of this career adds or removes any pressure?
Amador: It can help, it can destroy.
Diaz: It depends on how you think or how is your relationship because I have seen so many cases where the guy, who's young, is dancing with so many girls, maybe he has to kiss a girl for the part that he does. Sometimes even if you don't want to, you feel (jealous).
Amador: It depends on how you take it. When you partner with someone more than once, you do get a relation with that person; you have to talk a lot. Sometimes you travel for weeks and weeks with that person, so you really become friends, but sometimes (it) gets complicated.
CB: Why do you think there are so many couples in the company?
Amador: For the men, (we have) a joke: You get to touch the women; well then, you have to fall in love!
Diaz: We have relationships here with all the dancers, every day we have to dance with a different one. When you are so involved with someone like that, I think you can get to love someone.
Amador: It's not a job, like you say, "OK, I work with somebody." In this job, you literally are working closely with (others) -- you get a lot of friends.
Diaz: You get very involved with everybody. You even learn how (to) breathe (together). For so many ballets, you have to, like, feel the other people. ... But you never know when you're gonna get in love with someone.
Amador: I've just had one girlfriend in my life who was out of the ballet circle. I like girls who are ballerinas.
CB: Anything else to add?
Diaz: (To Amador) You have to say you love me!
The Sleeping Beauty, presented by Cincinnati Ballet, runs Friday-Sunday. Go to citybeat.com for additional couple interviews.
